Vehicle curve speed warning device

ABSTRACT

A device is described which provides a visual and audible warning when a vehicle on which it is mounted exceeds a predetermined speed when going around a curve. The device comprises a double potentiometer switch actuated by a pendulum contact arm which acts under the influence of centrifugal force to vary the resistance in circuit with a warning light. The greater the speed of the vehicle in making the turn, the further the contact arm will move along the resistance, decreasing the total resistance in circuit with the lamp, causing it to glow more brightly. When the contact arm passes a predetermined point on either the left resistance or the right resistance, a pushbutton switch will be closed, actuating a buzzer, indicating that the safe speed has been exceeded. The pendulum actuated contact arm is adjustably mounted so that depending upon the particular application to which the device is put, the buzzer can be made to sound at a preselected point, representing the safe speed for any particular curve.

United States Patent [191 Sartor [4 1 Mar. 19, 1974 VEHICLE CURVE SPEEDWARNING DEVICE [76] Inventor:

[22] Filed:

Raymond A. Sartor, 1518 Zuni, Pueblo, Colo. 81001 June 30, 1972 [21]Appl. No.: 268,206

340/53, 262, 263, 264; ZOO/61.45, 61.52, 61.44, 61.46, 80', 303/6, 24;188/152 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1949 Wunsch 340/2635/1918 Carstensen 340/263 3/1937 Kieber 340/52 H 8/1968 ComptonZOO/61.45 R X Primary Examiner-Alvin H. Waring Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Berman, Bishoff & Platt [5 7] ABSTRACT A device is described whichprovides a visual and audible warning when a vehicle on which it ismounted exceeds a predetermined speed when going around a curve. Thedevice comprises a double potentiometer switch actuated by a pendulumcontact arm which acts under the influence of centrifugal force to varythe resistance in circuit with a warning light. The greater the speed ofthe vehicle in making the turn, the further the contact arm will movealong the resistance, decreasing the total resistance in circuit withthe lamp, causing it to glow more brightly. When the contact arm passesa predetermined point on either the left resistance or the rightresistance, a pushbutton switch will be closed, actuating a buzzer,indicating that the safe speed has been exceeded. The pendulum actuatedcontact arm is adjustably mounted so that depending upon the particularapplication to which the device is put, the buzzer can be made to soundat a preselected point, representing the safe speed for any particularcurve.

11 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures VEHICLE CURVE SPEED WARNING DEVICE Thisinvention relates to safety warning devices and more particularlyrelates to a curve speed warning device for vehicles such asautomobiles.

In today s safety conscious era, when automobile manufacturers inparticular are paying more and more attention to the installation ofsafety devices in the vehicles which they produce, relatively littleattention has been paid to the problem of excessive speed as a safetyfactor. While certain automobiles have been equipped with devices whichemit a warning signal when a predetermined speed is exceeded, suchdevices do not provide an indication of relative safety based on roadconditions, such as curves with relation to speed, but rather, areactuated simply by the absolute speed of the vehicle. Quite clearly, acrucial factor in determining the safety of the speed at which thevehicle is being driven is the relation of such speed to road conditionssuch as curves. Yet, there is no known device which provides such anindication.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide asafety device for vehicles which provides a relative indication of thesafety factor in the vehicles speed as it is making a turn on a curve orthe like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety devicefor vehicles which emits a graduated visual indication of the safetyfactor in the vehicles speed as it is making a turn.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an audiblewarning in a safety device of the type described when the speed of thevehicle exceeds a predetermined limit for the turn being made by thevehicle.

Briefly, the present invention comprises a pendulum actuated doublepotentiometer having left and right portions. The contact arm of thepotentiometer sweeps along the left resistive portion when the vehicleis making a left turn, and similarly sweeps along the right resistiveportion when the vehicle is making a right turn. Depending upon thespeed of the vehicle in relation to the sharpness of the turn or curve,the contact arm will assume a position along the resistance which is inseries with a lamp to cause the lamp to glow increasingly more brightlyas the operation of the vehicle becomes less safe. When the speed of thevehicle exceeds a predetermined value for a given turn or curve in theroad, camming members mounted on the pendulum actuated contact arm willdepress a pushbutton switch which, in turn, applies battery voltage to abuzzer, emitting an audible signal. The pendulum actuated contact armmay be adjustably mounted so that the relative safety factor at whichthe buzzer will be sounded can be varied.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the presentinvention will be better appreciated by a consideration of the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the safety warning device of the presentinvention as it might be mounted on a vehicle dashboard in aself-contained unit;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 in FIG. 1 looking in thedirection of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 in FIG. 2 looking inthe direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is an electrical schematic diagram showing the interconnection ofthe electrical components of the invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, one possiblemechanical arrangement of the components of the invention isillustrated. As shown in FIG. 1, substantially cylindrical casing 10 hasa front face 15 formed of a transparent or translucent material such asany of the common plastics. Inscribed on face 15 are indiciarepresenting the relative safety factor of speed in relation tosharpness of curve. As can be seen, there are identical sets of indiciato the left and to the right of pendulum arm 12 which also serves as anindicator and can be readily seen through face 15.

Attached to one end of pendulum arm 12 is spherical pendulum weight 11;mounting pendulum arm 12 within casing 10 is substantially cylindricalmember 22 which is rotatably mounted in bearing members 29 and 30.Fixedly secured to the other end of member 22 is contact arm 21 ofpotentiometer 20 which comprises left resistive segment 23 and rightresistive segment 24. Thus, as pendulum ll swings to the left as viewedin FIG. 1 when the vehicle is taking a curve to the right, contact arm21 will be moved along right resistive segment 24. Similarly, when thevehicle is taking a curve to the left, pendulum weight 11 will swing tothe right as viewed in FIG. 1; and contact arm 21 will move along leftresistive segment 23.

Battery contact arm 28 is in electrical contact with the base of contactarm 21. Mounted on the end of member 22 for rotation therewith are leftcam member 13 and right cam member 14, disposed in proximity to camfollower 19. When cam follower 19 is contacted by either cam member 13or 14, actuator 18 of pushbutton or microswitch 17 is depressed; and theswitch is closed.

Buzzer 16 is mounted just above grillwork 26 for conveying the sound ofthe buzzer to the driver of the vehicle. As will be explained inconnection with the electrical diagram in FIG. 4, closure of switch 17actuates buzzer 16.

Referring now to FIG. 4, it can be seen that left resistive segment 23and right resistive segment 24 of double potentiometer 20 areelectrically separated so that when contact arm 21 is in the neutralposition as shown, lamp 25 is electrically disconnected from vehiclebattery 27. However, when contact arm 21 commences swinging to the leftor to the right, depending upon the type of curve which the vehicle istaking under the influence of pendulum arm 12 and pendulum weight 11,lamp 25 will be interconnected with battery 27, causing the lamp toglow. As contact arm 21 moves further to the left or to the right, asthe case may be, increasingly smaller resistance will be in the seriescircuit comprising either the left resistive segment 23 or rightresistive segment 24, lamp 25 and battery 27. Accordingly, as thependulum swings further to the right or to the left, lamp 25 will glowmore brightly. This will provide a visual indication to the driver ofthe vehicle that a danger point is being reached. Whena point is reachedbeyond which further speed is unacceptable from a safety standpoint,either cam member 13 or 14 will contact cam follower l9 and close switch17, completing the series circuit between buzzer 16 and battery 27. Thiswill then actuate the buzzer and provide an audible signal, indicatingto the driver that decreased speed is immediately called for.

It should be realized that the speed at which buzzer 16 will be actuatedmay be adjusted by varying the length of pendulum arm 12, which is shownbroken away in FIGS. 1 and 2 to indicate that its length may be adjustedby any well known mechanical expedient. Similarly, it should be realizedthat while the buzzer 16 is indicated as being a separate componentmounted within the casing 10, it is possible to use one of the safetybuzzers already installed in many automobiles.

Lamp 25 itself may be colored, either red or amber, for example, or facemay be appropriately colored so that as lamp glows increasingly morebrightly, a striking visual indication will be provided.

There has thus been described a safety warning device which provides avisual indication which grows increasingly more intense as the degree ofsafety at which the vehicle is being operated decreases and whichprovides an audible signal when a dangerous condition is imminent. It isimportant to recognize that the indications given by the device arealways dependent on the relationship between the speed and the sharpnessof the curve which the vehicle is taking. For example, if the vehicle isproceeding at 15 miles an hour around a very steep turn to the right,pendulum arm 12 might be at the right hand position marked 15 in FIG. 1,with a relatively large amount of resistance in series with lamp 25,causing it to glow dimly. However, if the same curve were taken at aspeed of 45 miles an hour, pendulum arm 12 might be at the positionmarked 45 on the right of face 15 in FIG. I, with a relatively smallresistance in series with lamp 25, causing it to glow more brightly.Increasing the speed still further when taking the same curve wouldcause cam member 14 to contact cam follower l9 and close switch 17,actuating buzzer 16, as explained above. By the same token, if arelatively gradual curve were taken at a speed of 45 miles an hour,pendulum arm 12 might be only in the position marked 15 in FIG. 1 andlamp 25 would glow dimly, indicating a relatively safe condition.

While one specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it is contemplated that the various modifications of thepresent invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art;and it is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limitedonly by the claims appended hereinbelow.

I claim:

1. A safety signalling device for a turning vehicle comprising:

a. electrical signalling means mounted within said vehicle forindicating to the driver of said vehicle the relative safety of theturning speed of said vehicle;

b. centrifugal force actuated means rotatably mounted in said vehicle;

c. a source of electrical energy connected to said electrical signallingmeans; and

d. means actuated by said centrifugal force means for varying thequantity of electrical energy supplied to said electrical signallingmeans and thus varying the signal emitted thereby in relation to therelative safety of the turning speed of said vehicle.

2. The safety signalling device set forth in claim 1 wherein saidcentrifugal force actuated means comprises a pendulum having an arm anda weight and said means actuated by said centrifugal force meanscomprises variable resistance means linked to said pendulum arm.

3. The safety signalling device set forth in claim 2 wherein saidvariable resistance means comprises a potentiometer having its contactarm linked to said pendulum arm, so that increasing centrifugal forceexerted on said vehicle will result in decreasing resistance andincreasing electrical energy supplied to said electrical signallingmeans.

4. A safety signalling device for turning vehicles comprising:

a. centrifugal force actuated means comprising a pendulum having an armand a weight;

b. visual electrical signalling means connected to a source ofelectrical energy;

0. means actuated by said centrifugal force means comprising apotentiometer electrically connected to said signalling means and havingits contact arm linked to said pendulum arm;

so that increasing centrifugal force exerted on said vehicle as it turnswill result in decreasing resistance and increasing electrical energysupplied to said signalling means and a proportionate increase in theintensity of the indication provided by said signalling means.

5. A safety signalling device for vehicles comprising:

a. centrifugal force actuated means comprising a pendulum having an armand a weight;

b. electrical signalling means connected to a source of electricalenergy;

c. means actuated by said centrifugal force means comprising apotentiometer having left and right resistive segments, electricallyunconnected to each other, said potentiometer being electricallyconnected to said signalling means and having its contact arm linked tosaid pendulum arm;

so that increasing centrifugal force exerted on said vehicle will resultin decreasing resistance and increasing electrical energy supplied tosaid electrical signalling means.

6. The safety signalling device set forth in claim 5 wherein saidcentrifugal force is caused by said vehicles making a turn and saidelectrical signalling means comprises a visual indicator electricallyconnected to said potentiometer, so that increasing centrifugal forceresults in a proportionate increase in the intensity of the indicationprovided by said visual indicator.

7. The safety signalling device set forth in claim 6 including means formounting said pendulum so that said contact arm contacts said rightresistive segment when said vehicle is making a right turn and said leftresistive segment when said vehicle is making a left turn.

8. The safety signalling device set forth in claim 4 further includingaudible signalling means for providing an audible signal when saidcentrifugal force exceeds a predetermined limit.

9. The safety signalling device set forth in claim 8 further includingmeans linked to said pendulum for actuating said audible signallingmeans when said pendulum undergoes a predetermined displacement underthe influence of said centrifugal force.

10. The safety signalling device set forth in claim 7 further includingaudible signalling means for providing an audible signal when saidcentrifugal force exceeds a predetermined limit.

11. The safety signalling device set forth in claim 10 further includingmeans linked to said pendulum for actuating said audible signallingmeans when said pendulum undergoes a predetermined displacement underthe influence of said centrifugal force.

1. A safety signalling device for a turning vehicle comprising: a.electrical signalling means mounted within said vehicle for indicatingto the driver of said vehicle the relative safety of the turning speedof said vehicle; b. centrifugal force actuated means rotatably mountedin said vehicle; c. a source of electrical energy connected to saidelectrical signalling means; and d. means actuated by said centrifugalforce means for varying the quantity of electrical energy supplied tosaid electrical signalling means and thus varying the signal emittedthereby in relation to the relative safety of the turning speed of saidvehicle.
 2. The safety signalling device set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid centrifugal force actuated means comprises a pendulum having an armand a weight and said means actuated by said centrifugal force meanscomprises variable resistance means linked to said pendulum arm.
 3. Thesafety signalling device set forth in claim 2 wherein said variableresistance means comprises a potentiometer having its contact arm linkedto said pendulum arm, so that increasing centrifugal force exerted onsaid vehicle will result in decreasing resistance and increasingelectrical energy supplied to said electrical signaLling means.
 4. Asafety signalling device for turning vehicles comprising: a. centrifugalforce actuated means comprising a pendulum having an arm and a weight;b. visual electrical signalling means connected to a source ofelectrical energy; c. means actuated by said centrifugal force meanscomprising a potentiometer electrically connected to said signallingmeans and having its contact arm linked to said pendulum arm; so thatincreasing centrifugal force exerted on said vehicle as it turns willresult in decreasing resistance and increasing electrical energysupplied to said signalling means and a proportionate increase in theintensity of the indication provided by said signalling means.
 5. Asafety signalling device for vehicles comprising: a. centrifugal forceactuated means comprising a pendulum having an arm and a weight; b.electrical signalling means connected to a source of electrical energy;c. means actuated by said centrifugal force means comprising apotentiometer having left and right resistive segments, electricallyunconnected to each other, said potentiometer being electricallyconnected to said signalling means and having its contact arm linked tosaid pendulum arm; so that increasing centrifugal force exerted on saidvehicle will result in decreasing resistance and increasing electricalenergy supplied to said electrical signalling means.
 6. The safetysignalling device set forth in claim 5 wherein said centrifugal force iscaused by said vehicle''s making a turn and said electrical signallingmeans comprises a visual indicator electrically connected to saidpotentiometer, so that increasing centrifugal force results in aproportionate increase in the intensity of the indication provided bysaid visual indicator.
 7. The safety signalling device set forth inclaim 6 including means for mounting said pendulum so that said contactarm contacts said right resistive segment when said vehicle is making aright turn and said left resistive segment when said vehicle is making aleft turn.
 8. The safety signalling device set forth in claim 4 furtherincluding audible signalling means for providing an audible signal whensaid centrifugal force exceeds a predetermined limit.
 9. The safetysignalling device set forth in claim 8 further including means linked tosaid pendulum for actuating said audible signalling means when saidpendulum undergoes a predetermined displacement under the influence ofsaid centrifugal force.
 10. The safety signalling device set forth inclaim 7 further including audible signalling means for providing anaudible signal when said centrifugal force exceeds a predeterminedlimit.
 11. The safety signalling device set forth in claim 10 furtherincluding means linked to said pendulum for actuating said audiblesignalling means when said pendulum undergoes a predetermineddisplacement under the influence of said centrifugal force.